Pedro Castillo flies over oil spill in Peru, while tone rises between authorities and Repsol

Published:

20 ene 2022 13:20 GMT

About 6,000 barrels of crude oil spilled over an area of ​​about 18,000 square meters. The Peruvian Attorney’s Office has already begun an investigation.

The president of Peru, Pedro Castillo, flew to the oil spill-hit area of ​​a refinery run by the Spanish company Repsol on Wednesday, while the company denies responsibility and is demanding that authorities respond to what happened.

“The Department of the Environment is coordinating a variety of measures to mitigate and mitigate environmental damage on the Peruvian coast, as well as civil actions against those responsible,” the president said on Twitter, where he attached some photos of his observation of the disaster. Helicopter ..

Underwater volcanic eruption near Tonga archipelago Provoked Last Saturday high tides shifted the process of unloading crude oil from the ship Mare Dorium – under the Italian flag – to the La Pampilla refinery, which is operated by Repsol. Pouring About 6,000 barrels of crude oil It covers an area of ​​about 18,000 square meters.

According to Explained Mirta Vasquez, chair of the Committee of Ministers, “ordered Urgent actions“So Repsol takes related actions.

“In principle, the affected areas have been identified and can be repaired. Secondly, hydrocarbon control and recovery should be carried out which is immediately requested by the company. And the waste should be transported safely,” he commented.

Vásquez criticized the company for initially introducing a warning that downplayed the truth. “I talked about a small oil leak and then it was checked They did not initiate relevant public awareness Action can be taken against the people and various officials coming in, ”he stressed.

He also explained that the Environmental Assessment and Enforcement Agency (OEFA) referred to them as “the company”. There is no contingency plan“, So it” does not have the ability to react, and they are trying to hire a company to do the cleaning. “

“We did not cause disaster.”

For his part, Tine van den Wall Bake Rodríguez, a spokesman for Repsol in Peru, denied that the company had caused the disaster. “No. We did not cause the environmental disaster. I can not say who is responsible.” Insisted In conversation with Radio RPP.

Repsol’s representative noted that the navy lacked perspective in not issuing a possible tsunami alert, as Ecuador or Chile did.

“We are consulting with the Navy’s Maritime Division to see if there is a warning and to make sure they are not at shore and that we can continue to carry loads,” he assured.

The Peruvian Attorney’s Office has already begun an investigation into an environmental pollution offense against law enforcement officials and officials at the refinery. Repsol subsidiary fined 180 million feet About $ 34 million.